Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam Opens the Door to Presidential Bid

Fresh off winning reelection earlier this month, Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam is ramping up his possible bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Messam easily won a second term winning 86 percent of Miramar voters as 5,867 votes were cast in his favor. Last week, he launched an exploratory committee, showcasing his record in office and highlight his biography.

“As the first black mayor of one of the fastest-growing city economies in the country, Wayne Messam is on the front lines of the progressive fights of our time. From passing a living wage for city workers, to fighting to bring American jobs back from China, to leading the opposition to oil drilling in the Everglades, to passing ban the box, Wayne is a proven champion for change,” his team noted as it kicked off his efforts.

Messam also sounded a few potential campaign themes.

“The lack of urgency to plan for the future and take action on the crisis we can see coming is the biggest threat facing our nation. The gun violence epidemic continues to take far too many lives, climate change damages more homes and devastates more communities each year, skyrocketing healthcare costs cut off many Americans from the possibility of their American Dream, and crippling student loan debt leaves people of all ages with little hope for the future,” Messam said last week. “Washington is not working for the American people, and these big issues need fresh eyes and bold ideas from someone closer to the people, so our voice can be heard. Together, we can fundamentally change our country for the better and tackle these challenges with actions that match the scale and urgency of this moment. I do not believe that the best ideas come from Washington.

“Far too many of our friends and neighbors feel left behind and deserve someone in their corner who will fight for them. This moment requires leadership that will set us on a path to put the American Dream within reach for every single person in this country,” he added.

The son of Jamaican immigrants, Messam played as a wide receiver for the Florida State University (FSU) Seminole football team, including playing on the 1993 championship team. He was elected to the Miramar City Commission in 2011. In 2015, he upset Miramar Mayor Lori Cohen Moseley who had first been elected in 1999.

Now Messam, who hasn’t garnered much buzz as a candidate for statewide or congressional office in Florida, is setting his sites on the White House. Last week, he announced he is headed to South Carolina which holds its primary after Iowa and New Hampshire have their say.

Messam is also starting to talk up international issues. On Saturday, Messam announced he would soon be headed to the Middle East.

"After launching an exploratory committee for president, I thought it important to take the next step and visit with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders in-person to hear about the crisis that reverberates around the world,” Messam said. “The next president of the United States will also be commander in chief, so I hope to learn a great deal about how we can make the world a safer place for all people, but especially our men and women in uniform around the world. I look forward to a productive set of meetings with some of the leaders who have been directly involved in attempting to negotiate peace. America must lead the world again, but we will only effectively do so when we restore our role as an honest broker on the world stage."

In the improbable event he was elected president in 2020, Messam would not be the first mayor to serve in the White House as Andrew Johnson, Grover Cleveland and Calvin Coolidge also were mayors but they held higher offices, with all three serving as governors and two as vice presidents, when they became president. Mayors who sought the White House in recent election cycles--ranging from New York City Mayors Rudy Giuliani and John Lindsey to Irvine California Mayor Larry Agran to Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson--didn’t exactly set the world on fire when they ran for president.

Besides Messam, a far more prominent Florida Democrat is flirting with a potential presidential bid. Former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who was edged by Republican Ron DeSantis in last year’s gubernatorial election, is teasing a big announcement on Wednesday night at Florida Memorial University (FMU) and he has opened the door to running for president.

Gillum made a pitch to supporters on Monday indicating that he will be trying to flip Florida in 2020 and will reveal “what’s next” on Wednesday night.

“I believe my highest and best calling is to fight right alongside you to turn Florida blue in 2020,” Gillum emailed supporters. “Last year, working shoulder to shoulder, we mobilized a progressive movement unlike anything this state had ever seen. More than 70,000 of you volunteered your time for our vision of a Florida that works for everyone. We worked our hearts out. Now, let's fight together to finish the job and make a progressive future for Florida a reality next year.”

While former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg closed the door to running for president in 2020, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg is running in the Democratic primaries. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has also left the door open to a potential presidential bid.

The closest a sitting mayor ever came to becoming president was back in 1812 when New York Mayor DeWitt Clinton lost the election to incumbent President James Madison.

Comments

Do not underestimate the power of the Caribbean vote in the US. We are better educated and more affluent than most
A other black Americans. We might not put Mr. Messam in the Whitehouse but we will send a loud and clear message thru people like him, Mr. Gillem, Kamala Harris. Stacey Abrams and others. It is not about winning the race all the time but about clearing the clouds so that those behind you can see the summit of the mountain to carry the flag to victory!

I think we also need some Republicans to run in the Democratic primaries. Bill Weld and John Kasich come to mind and, for sure, Florida's own David Jolly. Maybe even homegrown Rick Wilson! In fact, maybe all the reasonable and responsible Republicans and Democrats left should get together and form a new party ... the Democans (or, I suppose, the Republicrats). Anyway ... NO MATTER WHO RUNS ... everyone of 'em would undoubtedly be a FAR BETTER PRESIDENT than Humpty Trumpty!

Typical Democrat: as soon as they get elected to "remote" positions, and see their names in laudatory minor media outlets (they are like Parakeets in front of a "birdcage mirror), and they fully assume the "hype" and start to campaign to be PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ! Like most "millennials", they believe they are ONLY FIT TO "START AT THE TOP".... ( And then, unfortunately, incompetence, corruption, and/or outright criminality, results in them "working their way down"),... the antithesis of "normality". [This "coming election cycle" will reveal FLOCKS OF PARAKEETS ! ! !

Looks like a lot of black voters live in Miramar? The city workers pulled him out, cause they want oil rigs in the Everglades. He better not !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! President Trump has already done the job of bringing back jobs from China................... and more? Democrats have no platform............. but remove the best man....... Mr. Trump. You won't happen Mr. Messam. I am moving to Miramar, and I will take your job in a few months?

Oh please Democrats, show America some more of your illegal political tricks. Like the one where Pelosi lies again and says she now is no longer interested in Impeachment of the best President in American History, Mr. President Trump !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please, please, please God.............. America does not need another criminal Obama. Obama's only success was selling guns to American's, and giving guns to the Mexican Cartel thru Obama's "Fast & Furious" ! Why do we allow Democrat hacks to even get money to even open the door to their home in the morning. He is a loser. He would finish the country like Obama, and cheating Hillary Clinton, if they would have continued. God help America when President Trump leaves in 2024 ? Lets pass a law to extend President Trump's term to 2028 ??????????? Democrat's, we can use Executive P. ????

Absolutely no "criminal Obama". BUT, absolutely, a "CRIMINAL TRUMP". Mueller is going to hang him real good with criminal obstruction of justice ... the House will get him on abuse of power ... and the SDNY will undoubtedly nail him on several felony or RICO charges. You should probably be praying to God that' Don the Con' gets removed from office ASAP ... before he and his crew of TrumpNuts cause any more damage to American democracy, politics, society, and culture. Trump the Chump is much WORSE than the common criminal. John Gotti would be a step up!